By the end, it wasn't just Hull City with their backs to the wall. Jose Mourinho stood, propped up against the red bricks of his dug-out, with a face like thunder while Harry Maguire and Andrea Ranocchia lay on the floor receiving treatment in injury-time.

It was a picture that summed up the moment: frustration for Manchester United brought on by a quite magnificent defensive effort from opponents who put their bodies on the line for 96 minutes.

A third straight draw in the Premier League following six straight wins saw United waste an opportunity to close the gap after the top four had all dropped points 24 hours earlier. The momentum built up in December and carried over into the new year is in danger of petering out for Mourinho.

Wayne Rooney cuts a frustrated figure as a chance goes begging for Manchester United against Hull

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a shot at goal but he can't find the back of the net as United huffed and puffed against the Tigers

Marcus Rashford is unable to tee up a team-mate to score as United struggled to make the breakthrough

Phil Jones was forced off through injury and was escorted back to the United changing room for treatment

Ibrahimovic's face sums up United's night as the Red Devils had to make do with a point against relegation-threatened Hull

Jose Mourinho cuts a confused figure on the touchline as he watches his side in action in the Premier League

Ander Herrera's pitch map shows a busy man on the night. Visit our MATCH ZONE for all the big game stats

Hull were inspired by an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic who produced a string of saves as his side climbed off the foot of the Premier League.

Marco Silva's side could even have stolen victory from a breakaway in the 86th minute when Lazar Markovic clipped the inside of the post with David de Gea beaten.

That would have been too much, but this was as good a display as Hull produced on Humberside in the EFL Cup last week when they claimed their first victory over United since November 1974.

This was the third meeting between the two clubs in 23 days following United's progress to Wembley, and Mourinho won't want to face his Portuguese compatriot Silva again in a hurry.

Mourinho stood on the touchline throughout, hands stuffed in his pockets, muttering to the linesman and fourth official, but unable to rouse his team to the level needed to break down a stubborn opponent.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic forced Jakupovic into a fine save in the 14th minute, tipping the Swede's curling effort from 25 yards around the post, but for all their possession United failed to open up Hull until the end of a first half in which they lacked urgency and penetration.

Michael Carrick injected a bit of pace into United's play with a low pass into Ibrahimovic who knocked it into Paul Pogba's path with an exquisite touch of the inside of his right foot.

The France midfielder was through on goal, albeit under pressure from Maguire, but Jakupovic diverted his left-foot shot over the bar with one hand.

Maybe Rio Ferdinand has a point. Pogba should spend more time practising his finishing than rehearsing the kind of goal celebration with team-mate Jesse Lingard that appeared on social media earlier this week.

Mourinho replaced Carrick with Wayne Rooney at the interval, just as he did against Liverpool last month to speed up United's play.

It was a shortcoming in their game against Wigan in the FA Cup on Sunday as well, and the manager must find a way to have his team firing from the start.

Hull players huddle up prior to kick-off in their Premier League clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford

Daley Blind tries to take the ball away from the feet of Hull's on-loan winger Lazar Markovic during the early exchanges

Ander Herrera tries to pick a pass down the right flank as United quickly took control of affairs at Old Trafford

Paul Pogba is hunted by Tom Huddlestone in the middle of midfield as the Frenchman looks to influence play

Rashford spots a gap beyond Hull's Gevandro and accelerates into the space for United

Ibrahimovic attempts an audacious backheeled volley during the first half at Old Trafford on Wednesday night

Ibrahimovic tries to get a pass away under pressure in the middle of the park on Wednesday night

Pogba goes down on his knees and cuts a frustrated figure during the first half of the Premier League encounter

United did find a way past Hull's defence twice in the opening 11 minutes of the second half, and on both occasions it came from booming long balls off the boot of Pogba.

His first long-range pass released Ibrahimovic whose control let him down in front of goal.

The second set Marcus Rashford sprinting clear and the 19-year-old showed a better touch to bring the ball down brilliantly, but scuffed his shot wide of the far post.

Hull continued to hold out. Maguire and Michael Dawson were quite magnificent in central defence but Oumar Niasse took it too far.

Having been booked for an innocuous early challenge on Marcus Rojo, the striker was twice lucky to escape a red card, first for sinking his studs into Carrick's knee and then flooring Daley Blind with another late challenge before he was substituted.

That would have been one of Mourinho's more justified criticisms of referee Mike Jones, but he needed to look more closely at his own players.

Ibrahimovic hooked a shot inches wide after Rashford had headed Antonio Valencia's centre back across goal before substitute Juan Mata missed the chance of the match.

Eldin Jakupovic - the Hull goalkeeper - goes to ground under the challenge of his team-mate Harry Maguire

Herrera leaps in the air in an attempt to win the ball but he is beaten to it by Hull midfielder Sam Clucas

Rashford cannot reach the ball after Jakupovic gets his body in the way during the first 45 minutes at Old Trafford

Henrikh Mkhitaryan goes to ground in an effort to steal possession back from Maguire

Marco Silva - the visiting manager - directs his players from the touchline during a goalless first half

Pogba fails to connect with a sliding tackle as Markovic keeps the ball away from United's world record transfer

Michael Carrick looks to be in pain as he collapses in a heap under the challenge of Oumar Niasse

It arrived in the 73rd minute when the ball was floated into the Hull box and headed by Rojo towards the back post where Mata was waiting unmarked.

The Spaniard took a touch and looked certain to score but Jakupovic somehow blocked his shot, with the goal decision system confirming that it had not crossed the line.

Two more fine stops followed from Pogba's shot and Rojo's effort as Hull clung on in the face of wave after wave of attacks.

Mourinho became more animated with every missed opportunity, each penalty appeal in vain as the seconds ticked away towards a ninth Premier League draw of the season, including six here at Old Trafford.

It is a record that could cost United dearly in May as the race for the top four places becomes increasingly tight.

For a man who admitted on the eve of this game that he is unhappy being Champions League bystander, Mourinho might have to prepare himself for another season exiled from Europe's elite.

Ibrahimovic prepares himself for a header as Maguire appeals for an offside against the Swedish striker

Pogba does not appear to be too enamoured by what referee Mike Jones has to say at Old Trafford

French midfielder Pogba lies on the Old Trafford turf with his head in his hands after a missed chance

Juan Mata was sent off the bench in the second half in an effort to swing the game in United's favour

The Spanish midfielder couldn't find a breakthrough, however, and ended up having to settle for a draw

Blind receives a dressing-down from referee Jones during a frustrating evening for the Red Devils and the Dutchman